Congo's Ebola outbreak kills nearly 1,000 people; declared ‘fastest’ in history

Congo's Ministry of Health reports 2,473 cases and 999 deaths in the Ebola outbreak as of July 20, 2026.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccines or treatments.

It is the fastest Ebola outbreak on record, with 1,000 deaths reached more quickly than the 2013-2016 outbreak that killed over 11,000.

% of new cases emerge through unknown chains of transmission, indicating spread outpaces health officials' tracking.

Community resistance to burial teams in Ituri province hampers response, requiring security force escorts.